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(No Model.)

G. P. MITCHELL DINNER PAIL.

No. 445,961 Patented Feb. s, 1891.

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I udbooot \d 0552 836. Invemba r ITEE STATES PATENT E ICE.

. GEORGE P. MITCHELL, on NEWARK, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR CE TWO-THIRDS TO CHARLES H, PERKINS AND ELIZABETH w. SMITH, OF SAME PLACE.

DINNER-PAH...

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 445,961, dated February 3, 1891.

Serial No. 344,231. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE P. MITCHELL, of Newark, in the county of lVayne and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in DinnerPails, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings.

My invention is a dinner-pail having cerro tain improved features of construction, the same being hereinafter fully described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the dinner-pail, with the I5 walls vertically sectioned, as on the line a: 00

in Fig. 3, the cup being in part sectioned on. the dotted line y, with parts broken away; Fig. 2, a view indicated by arrow .2 in Fig. 1, parts being broken away and the wall vertieally sectioned, as on the dotted line so a in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a top View of the device with parts broken away; Fig. 4, also a plan with a part of the cover removed to show the lamp; Fig. 5, a top View of the coffee-tank with a 2 5 part broken away; and Fig. 6', a front eleva tion of the pail, showing the glazed opening.

Referring to the parts shown in the drawings, A is the body of the dinner-pail, which is preferably made of sheet metal, and prismatic in form, and divided by a transverse partition a into a large compartment 71 and a smaller compartment 0.

The pail is provided with a cover (Z for the larger compartment and a cover 6 for the Compartment 0, the former cover being pro vided with the usual receptacle orcup-holder f and cup g. The small compartment 0 is designed to hold a coffee-tank B and lamp O, as shown, the compartment Z) being in- 4 tended to receive the more bulky articles of consumption. The lamp rests upon the floor a of the pail and may be inserted in the pail at the top by removing the cover 0, or through some ordinary door or opening in the side of the pail. (Not shown.) The coffee-tank, which is prisanaticin form, rests in the upper part of the compartment 0 on supports or ledges h, and is completelyinclosed within the compartment and under the cover 6 thereof.

These supports consist more particularly of a rectangular plate h, nearly asilong as the tank, and having a rectangular notch cut in one side, leaving a lip or projection h at each end,.which is bent down at right angles to the plate and forms the support proper, or 5-5 ledges upon which the tank rests. By this means when the plate h is secured to the walls of the compartment, as by soldering, the two supports or ledges are more quickly and accurately secured in place than would be done with each support in a separate piece. By cutting the notch in the side of the plate a space is left between the lips for the passage of the heat up the sides of the tank. The lamp also is wholly within the pail and surrounded by the walls thereof, and thus protected from accident or injury. To be more quickly acted upon by the heat from the flames of the lamp, triangular centering pieces or spacers i are provided for the coffee-tank,

secured to the inner surface of the walls of the pail and to the upper faces of the supports h. The spacers are not long'enough to reach to the inner ends of the supports or ledges, which thus leaves enough of the ledges projecting beyond each of the spacers to afford a restingplace for the tank. By securing the spacers in this manner the triangular or inclined portion of each of them extends from the wall downwardly and in- So wardly, which serve to center the tank within the wall of the compartment when placed therein, so that it shall be surrounded on all sides by spaces 76, filled with hot air. These spacers prevent the tank from being in contact with one or more of the outer walls of the pail, which, if occurring, would cause the tank to become chilled from the radiation of heat through the metal into the surrounding atmosphere. hen the pail is constructed with the centering pieces, as shown, no part of the tank can touch the walls of the pail and wastefully communicate its heat to them and to the surrounding air. The tank, with its contents, is thus quickly heated by the lamp, and with a very little consumption of heating material.

The cover c is provided with a cylindrical handle or knob Z, formed with perforations n in its vertical or side walls and cover, en- IOO abling it to serve also as a chimney for the lamp. The cover of the knob or chimney is formed to project over the side walls thereof and over the side openings at to shield them from driving rain and to present a better hold for the thumb and fingers when lifting the cover 6 off the pail.

The air-supply for the lamp is provided for by some simple means-as for instance, by forming holes 0, Fig. 2, through the wall of the pail. Instead of the knob Z, the cover a may be perforated, as shown at p in Fi 3, and provided with a simple ring or other device for lifting it, or it may be formed without any handle whatever.

The tank is preferably formed with a large central opening r, having some suitable cover or stoppers fitted to screw on or otherwise. This construction facilitates the cleaning of the interior of the tank.

The lamp may be formed with one or more wick-tubes t, as may be desired, provided with extinguishers u.

v is a bail or handle for the lamp; and w, a screw-cap or cover for the opening, through which the lamp is filled.

At 1), Fig. 6, is shown aglazed opening opposite the lamp being a glass slide. This is provided so that the dinner-pail may serve as a lantern for the workman when going to or returning from work during hours of darkness. In case the pail is never to be used as a lantern the glass slide may be replaced by a strip of sheet metal.

The cover of the pail may, if desired, be made in one piece instead of in parts 61 and e, as shown, though in some respects it is better to have it divided, as described.

.The dinner-pail is provided with some suitable bail or handle, according to taste.

lVhat I claim as my invention is A dinner-pail having two compartments, a lamp in one of the compartments, supports secured to the walls of the compartments above the lamp, each consisting of a rectangular plate having an in wardly-projecting lip at each end with a space between them, triangular centering pieces secured to the walls and to the lips, the inclined faces of which extend from the walls downwardly and inwardly nearly to the inner ends of the lips, and a tank upon the projecting portions of the lips, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this th day of March, 1890, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE P. MITCHELL.

\Vitnesses;

ALVIN MILLER, .IAooB CATToo, Jr. 

